San Francisco Public Library celebrates the reopening of the
renovated Merced Branch Library on Saturday, May 14. The library, located at
155 Winston Drive at 19th Avenue, is the 18th branch to open in the
Branch Library Improvement Program and was designed and built to meet silver
certification standards under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

The grand reopening celebration kicks off at 1 p.m. with Chinese lion dancers and a
ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Edwin Lee, City Librarian Luis Herrera, State
Senators Leland Yee and Mark Leno, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, Department of
Public Works Director Ed Reiskin and other city and state officials. Library services start at 2 p.m. Music and children’s
entertainment will continue throughout the afternoon.

“We are excited to reopen the doors and return this beloved
branch back to its neighborhood. The renovation has transformed this branch
into a stylish modern and ‘green’ library,” said City Librarian Luis Herrera.
“Now, Merced will have a greatly expanded children’s area with easy connection
to its beautiful landscaped courtyard plus the kind of updated technology and
services that will ensure it remains an important resource for the neighborhood
long into the future.”

The remarkable renovation project transforms a mid-century
branch library into a model of sustainable construction and modern design. The Merced Branch Library, originally built in
1957 and opened in 1958, has been seismically strengthened, technologically
updated, and made accessible to all library users. The project included a new
addition at the front of the building to recoup the space that was needed for
disabled access, seismic work and building system upgrades. The renovation was
designed by the Bureau of Architecture, Library Design Studio, in the
Department of Public Works

“We build and renovate City facilities to the highest
achievable standards,” said Department of Public Works Director Ed Reiskin. “In
addition to being beautiful, the Merced branch is now seismically sound,
functional, green, and modernized to meet the library’s and the community’s
needs.”

The renovated branch includes a new, designated teen area
plus the children’s area has doubled in size and added new interactive early
learning features. Merced also has a new fireside lounge area for reading, more
space for books and materials, more public computers, and improved heating and
ventilation systems.

Over the past two years, Friends of the San Francisco Public Library has
been working in partnership with neighborhood residents and communities to
raise funds, awareness and support for the branch improvements. Friends,
together with the Merced Library Campaign Committee, will contribute
approximately $500,000 towards the branch renovations to pay for furnishings,
fixtures and equipment—expenses not covered by the bond. For more
information on how to support the Parkside Library Campaign, please contact Mary
Abler at (415) 626-7512 ext. 107 or mary.abler@friendssfpl.org.